Derwin James didn’t sugarcoat where the Chargers stand after Sunday’s loss to the Raiders. He said it plainly, and he said it with frustration.
“We got to look each other in the eye, man, and just tell the truth and just get better. Because right now that s*** just looks trash,” James said after Sunday’s Week 2 loss. “I’m angry, but being angry don’t fix anything.“
That’s the reality in Los Angeles after an 0-2 start, with the Chargers now joining seven other NFL teams in that spot after Week 2. Their season opened with a Week 1 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, and Sunday’s defeat against their AFC West rival only deepened the early hole.
The offense has been a major part of the problem. The Chargers have managed just 14 points in each of their first two games, and Justin Herbert has taken plenty of heat for the sluggish start.
But the issues go well beyond the quarterback. The run game has stalled with Omarion Hampton, and Herbert hasn’t found a consistent rhythm with his receivers.
On the other side of the ball, the defense hasn’t done enough to steady things either. Los Angeles has given up 26 points to both Arizona and Las Vegas, two teams that weren’t expected to be among the NFL’s strongest contenders entering the season.
With those results, James’ blunt assessment fits the moment. This is a team carrying real expectations, and 0-2 is a rough place to be in a division as competitive as the AFC West.
The Chargers now turn to Week 3 and a major AFC matchup against the Buffalo Bills. After that, the road only gets tougher, with the Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs all coming up next.
In Other News...
Chargers 0-2 Start Just Sparked A Debate Fans Didn't Want
Two games into the 2026 season, the Chargers are already dealing with the kind of early frustration that tends to invite bigger questions. Losses to the Cardinals and Raiders have put the spotlight on more than just the record, with the discussion around the team quickly shifting to discipline, execution and whether the current approach is getting enough out of a roster built to contend.
Jim Harbaughs leadership is now part of the conversation, as are the repeated penalties that have followed Joe Alt and the uneven play from Chris OLearys defense. None of that is fatal in September, but it does leave the Chargers in a place they did not want to be this soon, with the stakes for the rest of the season already feeling a little heavier than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Justin Herberts Postgame Demeanor Just Added To Harbaugh Pressure
The Chargers 26-14 loss to the Raiders in Week 2 left them at 0-2, and Justin Herbert spent his postgame time trying to steady the message around a team already under early pressure. He said the focus has to be on correcting mistakes and staying united, a familiar refrain for a team searching for its first win while trying to avoid letting the opening stretch define the season.
Still, Herberts calm public approach only sharpened the conversation around Jim Harbaugh after another frustrating afternoon for the offense. Analyst John Frascella took aim at Harbaughs effect on Herberts confidence, adding another layer to the scrutiny now following the Chargers into a Week 3 matchup with the Bills. For a team with bigger expectations than an 0-2 start, the next game already feels like more than just another Sunday. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers' 0-2 Start Puts One Early Problem Front And Center
The Chargers season is only two games old, but the early picture is already hard to ignore. A loss to the Raiders left Los Angeles winless, even with some encouraging individual moments on offense, including a touchdown catch by rookie tight end Gadsden, a big 53-yard grab by Harris and a passing line from Justin Herbert that showed both the yardage production and the turnover trouble that has helped shape the teams rough opening.
For a team that expected to settle in quickly, the frustration is coming from the way the losses are piling up on themselves. Herberts two interceptions mattered, but so did the late fumble by Hampton, another costly mistake that undercut the kind of explosive plays the Chargers need to turn into wins. The talent is there, but after back-to-back setbacks, the most obvious early concern is how often Los Angeles is beating itself. [Read more 🡒]